Office Clerks, General Career, Salary and Skills
Office Clerks, General have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $45,010 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 2,464,940. Wage data is published for 446 locations.
Occupation description
Perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring knowledge of office systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, office machine operation, and filing.
O*NET code
43-9061.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$45,010
Hourly median
$21.64
Employment
2,464,940
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.75 | 3.50 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.75 | 3.50 |
| Speaking | 3.62 | 3.00 |
| Writing | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Service Orientation | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Monitoring | 2.88 | 2.88 |
Typical tasks
- Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages.
- Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints.
- Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer.
- Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, business transactions, and other activities.
- Review files, records, and other documents to obtain information to respond to requests.
- Open, sort, and route incoming mail, answer correspondence, and prepare outgoing mail.
- Compute, record, and proofread data and other information, such as records or reports.
- Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, facsimile machines, voice mail systems, and personal computers.
Technology
- 3M Post-it App
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe InDesign
- ADP Workforce Now
- Alpha Software Alpha Five
- Appointment scheduling software
- Billing software
- Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge
- Blackboard software
- Bookkeeping software
- Data entry software
- Database software
- Dropbox
- Electronic Data Interchange EDI systems
Office Clerks, General salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Office Clerks, General Salary in CAMedian $48,460 · Employment 311,490
- Office Clerks, General Salary in TXMedian $39,000 · Employment 218,470
- Office Clerks, General Salary in FLMedian $44,450 · Employment 189,700
- Office Clerks, General Salary in New York, NYMedian $47,670 · Employment 136,580
- Office Clerks, General Salary in NYMedian $45,890 · Employment 134,280
- Office Clerks, General Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $48,100 · Employment 112,270
- Office Clerks, General Salary in PAMedian $44,950 · Employment 107,500
- Office Clerks, General Salary in ILMedian $45,730 · Employment 95,980
- Office Clerks, General Salary in OHMedian $43,680 · Employment 89,310
- Office Clerks, General Salary in MIMedian $44,820 · Employment 88,030
- Office Clerks, General Salary in GAMedian $40,590 · Employment 75,390
- Office Clerks, General Salary in NCMedian $41,770 · Employment 67,930
Related careers
- Word Processors and TypistsNational median $49,280
- Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingNational median $50,610
- Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanNational median $45,920
- Brokerage ClerksNational median $65,750
- Document Management SpecialistsNational median $116,580
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsNational median $55,570
- Customer Service RepresentativesNational median $44,770
- Medical Records SpecialistsNational median $51,140
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.